School's out and Children's Season is in

Kids and parents, rejoice! School holidays are here!

From 27 May to 25 June, Children’s Season Singapore presents a wide array of exhibitions, programmes and activities designed for kids aged three to twelve at thirty museums and partner venues island-wide.

To get you started, we’ve rounded up a list of things to do around Bras Basah.Bugis.

1. Get animated at National Museum of Singapore

Film still of Captain 3D by Victor Haegelin. Image credit: Institut Francis.

Singapore’s oldest museum offers a cinematic experience for the young ones this Children’s Season. See wondrous tales come to life in Young Cinema, with screenings of selected animated short films by French and up-and-coming local filmmakers.

Inspired to make your own movie? Now you can! Make your own animated movie at the Animation Workshop. The workshop teaches kids basic stop-motion animation techniques and excites the budding storyteller in them as they create their own characters and miniature film sets. The workshop only runs on two days, so hurry and register.

How well do your children know their fairy tales? Based on classic fairy tales Rapunzel, The Ugly Duckling and Sleeping Beauty, the Singapore Philatelic Museum’s A Little Magic exhibition is a great way to acquaint the kids with timeless classics, through an extensive collection of fairy tale-themed stamps.

If you’re there on 4 or 11 June, make sure to also take part in a special Little Red Riding Hood Activity Trail and go hunting for clues in the museum’s galleries. Complete the trail and get rewarded with a mystery prize (while stocks last)!

Imaginarium is the Singapore Art Museum’s answer to how you can expose your children to contemporary art and make it a fun experience at the same time. This year’s exhibition To the Ends of the Earth runs till 27 August and comes with a host of jaw-dropping interactive exhibits (a traipse through an indoor tropical rainforest, anyone?) that will take your family’s breath away. There are also engaging activity corners at the exhibition to keep your children entertained.

Another highlight is Growing the Lizard Tail, an installation by Japanese-Australian artist Hiromi Tango, where young art lovers can craft their own sculptures and help ‘grow’ the Lizard Tail! Registration is required for both the activity corners and Growing the Lizard Tail.

The MINT Museum of Toys is home to thousands of vintage toys owned by collector Chang Yang Fa. In the spirit of Children’s Season, the museum is holding several child-friendly workshops where young beginners will learn how to craft their very own teddy bears, robots, and more. They can also find out how toys were masterfully handcrafted in the olden days.

Dates and timings for this ticketed event vary.

5. Sea the world at the Asian Civilisations Museum

Image credit: Asian Civilisations Museum

Fish, turtles, squid and jellyfish made from ocean debris including abandoned fishing nets, and recycled plastics suspended across the gallery are some of the works that you can see from Ghost Nets of the Ocean – Au Karem ira Lamar Lu, a marine-themed exhibition created by the indigenous and non-indigenous artists from Erub Arts on Darnley Island, Torres Straits, Australia.

The Esplanade gets younger kids enthralled in the world of storytelling, best suited for children aged three to six.

Quite different from the silent reading sessions in school that your children are used to, this book reading session is led by friendly readers who bring stories of Koko the Great, by author Natalie Hennedige, to life. The session promises an exciting adventure for your child through imaginary forests and old kampongs at Pip’s PLAYbox, Esplanade’s very own children’s activity space.

There is also Pesta Raya: Shadow Puppetry Fun, where children can try creating their own wayang kulit characters.

7. Art for children at National Gallery Singapore

Image credit: National Gallery Singapore

Master storyteller Kamini Ramachandran knows how the spoken word can inspire wonder in both adults and children alike. Inspired by the Chinese ink paintings on display at the National Gallery’s Rediscovering Treasures: Ink Art exhibition, watch Kamini work her magic in Stories in Art: Horsing Around! as she regales your kids with fun folk stories of horses and donkeys around the world.

There is so much to see and play this Children’s Season Singapore, with over 120 programmes happening island-wide.

Beyond the museums, venues like the Esplanade, Singapore Chinese Orchestra, and Wildlife Reserves Singapore, are also offering exciting programmes such as overnight camps in the forests of Mandai and musical journeys through the woods.

Grab a Children’s Season Singapore Passport available at all participating venues, and stand to win great prizes on the Stamp ‘n’ Win Lucky Draw when you visit and collect stamps at three venues or more.

So go ahead and create some special memories as a family this Children’s Season Singapore. Don’t forget to hashtag your posts with #ChildrensSeason!